The classic method, done properly. Thick, opaque ink laid straight into the fabric — the finish you want on a big run of tees, hoodies, or event shirts where the same design repeats hundreds of times.
Screen printing pushes ink through a mesh screen, one screen per colour, straight onto the garment. It is still the best-value method the moment a single design is going onto a lot of shirts — the setup cost is paid once, and every shirt after that gets cheaper.
It is also the finish people recognise by feel: soft, matte, sitting in the fabric rather than on top of it. On a cotton tee that has to survive a season of practices and washes, it is hard to beat.
Everything is printed here in our Hollister shop. You get a digital proof before we burn a screen, and you talk to the person who is actually running the press.
Not sure whether your job wants screen printing or DTF? Read the honest comparison in our DTF vs screen printing guide — it has the volume crossover where each one wins.
If your job is not on this list, it almost certainly still fits. Ask.
Rosters, numbers, sponsor backs. One design, many sizes, printed to match across the whole run.
Tournaments, car shows, church events, school fundraisers — the classic one-or-two-colour front print.
Left-chest logo, big back print, or both. Consistent from the first shirt to the last.
Heavier fleece takes screen print beautifully. Front, back, or sleeve hits.
Bands, breweries, shops and makers selling their own line. Reorders match the original.
Durable prints on tees and long sleeves that get worn hard five days a week.
We would rather tell you than sell you. Screen printing charges per colour and per screen, so a photographic design, a colour blend, or a run of a dozen shirts usually costs more in setup than the shirts are worth.
For those, DTF transfers print full colour with no setup charge and no minimum — same shop, same proof, often the same week. Names and numbers that differ shirt to shirt are also a DTF job, not a screen job.
Tell us what you are making and we will point you at whichever method actually fits, including the one that makes us less money.
We are at 817 Industrial Dr, Suite F in Hollister, open M–F, 9am – 5pm. San Benito County customers can drop in, look at blanks, and pick up finished work without paying for shipping.
Gilroy, Morgan Hill, San Juan Bautista, Salinas, Watsonville, Santa Cruz and San Jose are all a short drive or a next-day ship from the shop.
Full colour, no setup fee, no minimum — the better fit for small or photographic jobs.
Stitched logos on polos, jackets, hats and bags.
Spirit wear, uniforms and multi-size roster runs.
The cost and durability comparison, with the crossover point.
Screen printing carries a setup cost per colour, so very small runs rarely make financial sense — but we will not turn you away over it. Send us the job and we will quote both screen printing and DTF so you can see which one is actually cheaper at your quantity.
Most custom apparel runs take about two weeks after you approve the proof. Tell us your deadline when you request the quote and we will tell you honestly whether we can hit it.
Usually yes. Bring or ship your garments and we will quote the printing labour separately. We cannot replace customer-supplied goods if something goes wrong on press, so let us know the fabric ahead of time.
Each colour is its own screen and its own setup. One and two-colour designs are the sweet spot for value; more colours are absolutely possible, we just want you to see the cost difference against DTF before you commit.
Yes. Send us your Pantone or brand colours and we will match ink to them. Colours are confirmed on the digital proof before we print.
Yes — we keep your artwork on file, so reorders come back matching the original run rather than being rebuilt from scratch.
817 Industrial Dr, Suite F, Hollister, CA 95023
(831) 801-2942 · shannon@savagedesigns4u.com
M–F, 9am – 5pm · free local pickup · ships nationwide